NAD: Fender Pro Junior (couple of questions too!)

longjaw

This has just arrived, a bit of a bargain (maybe!) from eBay:

https://i.imgur.com/KRumkcQ.jpg

Couple of immediate issues though, the seller left the valves in the amp, they've been damaged in transit:

https://i.imgur.com/cRRqG8p.jpg?1

I had to re-straighten the bent pins with some pliers, so no harm done there.

Gonna need a new plug too I think:

https://i.imgur.com/1squl4s.jpg

longjaw

After re-seating the valves, I fire the amp up - power light comes on fine. I stick the volume on 5 and tone on 4, strike a big open 'E' chord on my Strat and .... I'm thoroughly underwhelmed.  

Lack of volume and weedy tone - certainly inferior to my 5 watt Champ clone with a 8" speaker!

So I power down the amp and have a butchers at the valves to see if that's the problem.

Turns out the valves are not the correct spec.

Instead of a pair of 12AX7s there's a 12AT7:

https://i.imgur.com/vJfdR3P.jpg

And a 12AU7:

https://i.imgur.com/lZGJ1L4.jpg

longjaw

Also, instead of EL84s it has a pair of EL34s, one isn't labelled while the other appears to be made by 'Bentley' and is labelled 'Foreign':

https://i.imgur.com/bMXvgtp.jpg?1

longjaw

A quick valve swap with a pair of AX7s and EL84s, re-try for a couple of minutes and it sounds much better!

So here are the inevitable questions!:

1. Can EL34s and EL84s be swapped in Pro Juniors without causing any problems?
2. The original speaker has been swapped out for a Celestion G10D-25, is this a decent speaker or is it on par with the dreaded 'Tube 10'?

Alnico

I can't help with the valve questions but that speaker is what was factory fitted to the Marshall 'Lead 12' in the 80's.

Here's a pic of my old one from an '85 Lead 12.

https://i.imgur.com/T5eGdM2.jpg?1

They're not amazing speakers IMO.

longjaw

Cheers bud, thought so.
The Eminence Rajin' Cajun seems to be a popular speaker upgrade for these.

clarkefan

Alnico said:

I can't help with the valve questions but that speaker is what was factory fitted to the Marshall 'Lead 12' in the 80's.

Here's a pic of my old one from an '85 Lead 12.

https://i.imgur.com/T5eGdM2.jpg?1

They're not amazing speakers IMO.

Funny, I've heard the opposite But I'm not experienced in 10" speakers, I've never been hugely impressed by my Lead 12, with one of these speakers, until I ran it through a 2x12 and it sounded waay better.  But I digress...

lovestrat74

Err,.. I'd be inclined to return it if none of the above was mentioned in the description..

koss59

That’s not an EL34 it’s an 84 with part of the 8 rubbed off.

longjaw

koss59 said:

That’s not an EL34 it’s an 84 with part of the 8 rubbed off.

You might be on to something there! :-)

Niallseroreilly

I sold one of these recently and it sounded glorious....

Fretwired

I can't help on the tech but I owned an old Tweed Junior and it was loud and sounded great. Better then the Blues Junior IMHO.

Hope you sort your amp out.

simonk

Pro Jr’s are terrific little amps and the Ragin Cajun is an excellent choice for a speaker upgrade.
Sounds like you need to be having words with the eBay seller though...

Alnico

clarkefan said:

Alnico said:

I can't help with the valve questions but that speaker is what was factory fitted to the Marshall 'Lead 12' in the 80's.

Here's a pic of my old one from an '85 Lead 12.

https://i.imgur.com/T5eGdM2.jpg?1

They're not amazing speakers IMO.

Funny, I've heard the opposite But I'm not experienced in 10" speakers, I've never been hugely impressed by my Lead 12, with one of these speakers, until I ran it through a 2x12 and it sounded waay better.  But I digress...

That's how I determined mine wasn't much cop.
It's ok, it's not as bad as a Rocket 50 but it's not a "Nice" speaker really.

Maybe someone with more insight than me knows better but I wasn't mad keen on it.

Celestion do a 10" version of V30 which I heard was excellent but I've not *heard* one so can't say for sure.

I've heard lots of good reports about the Ragin Cajun too.

p90fool

longjaw said:

Also, instead of EL84s it has a pair of EL34s, one isn't labelled while the other appears to be made by 'Bentley' and is labelled 'Foreign':

https://i.imgur.com/bMXvgtp.jpg?1

I can't see the image, but you can't swap EL84s for EL34s, they're completely different sockets. 

longjaw

Yep, thats what I thought - @koss59 has nailed it by saying part of the text has been rubbed off so it now reads EL34 instead of 84

ICBM

longjaw said:

2. The original speaker has been swapped out for a Celestion G10D-25, is this a decent speaker or is it on par with the dreaded 'Tube 10'?

As already said, it’s crap - much worse than a Tube 10. Pretty much any other speaker is better.

The Celestion G10 Vintage is like a small V30, only even more so. I wouldn’t recommend it unless sheer volume is the only purpose - it will take away all the nice top-end sparkle and make the clean sound a bit dirty even when the amp isn’t.

I wouldn’t pick a Celestion at all, in fact - a Jensen, Eminence Patriot series or Weber would be much better - American amp, American (voiced) speaker...

The Ragin’ Cajun is excellent if you want a really big sound.

longjaw

Rajin' Cajun ordered - cheers all!

Creed_Clicks

Out of curiosity, what made you go for the Pro Junior over a Blues Junior? 

longjaw

Pro Juniors get universally positive reviews, while I've read plenty of negative ones about Blues Juniors.

ICBM

The Pro Jr just sounds better, although obviously has fewer features.